The Ultimate Guide On How To Use Vitamin C Serum

Whether you’re worried about hyperpigmentation, dark spots, skin dullness, or sagging skin, vitamin C serum is likely going to be your best bet. Vitamin C can be seen as that little black dress in your closet and is one of the skincare products you must have. It aids to boost circulation, brighten the skin’s complexion, and stimulate collagen production.

Moreover, vitamin C is one of the few ingredients that have lasted the test of time. Skin specialists tout it as one of the most effective topical treatments. Dermatologists and skin care specialists describe vitamin C as the ‘holy grail’ substance of skincare as it essentially has a few advantages like collagen stimulation, acne scar reduction, and skin lightening.

One of the most revered advantages of vitamin C is that it is one of the best anti-ageing ingredients on the market — and the key to an even, smooth, and glowy complexion.

Although you must be getting vitamin C in your diet, there’s no guarantee it’s doing anything to benefit your skin. Using vitamin C serums and other topical products is the best way to reap the benefits vitamin C has to offer.

To learn more about how to use vitamin C serum, just keep scrolling down.

Benefits of vitamin C

There are plenty of vitamin C serum benefits for your skin. They include:

1. It is suitable for most skin types

Vitamin C has an excellent safety profile for all skin types. Almost everyone can use topical vitamin C for a long period without experiencing any adverse reactions.

Vitamin C is also safe to use with other skincare ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, retinol, and SPF.

2. It has hydrating properties

According to a research review, most healthy skin and organs were observed to contain high concentrations of vitamin C, which meant that vitamin C accumulates in the body from circulation.

Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, a vitamin C derivative used largely in skincare, has been shown to have a hydrating effect on the skin. It decreases water loss from skin layers allowing your skin to better retain moisture by strengthening the skin barrier.

3. It imparts a brightening effect on the skin

Vitamin C helps to fade pigmentation and works by smoothing the skin’s surface and reducing dullness. This, in turn, gives skin a youthful glow from the inside.

Vitamin C application aids by impeding melanin production, the pigment which is responsible for skin color. This can greatly help in fading dark spots and general dullness that might prevent you from getting a dewy glow.

4. It reduces redness and helps to even out your skin tone

Vitamin C also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent through its antioxidant quality. It soothes the skin and reduces puffiness, which lets your face shine through. The antioxidant property of vitamin C neutralizes free radicals that cause oxidative damage. It also works by optimizing the immune system and discourages inflammatory immune response

These anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C help to reduce redness, which in turn create an even complexion. The combined effects of fading dark spots, redness, and irritation result in a clear, smooth, even skin tone.

5. It helps to fade hyperpigmentation

As vitamin C impedes melanin production, it can fade hyperpigmentation, including sunspots, age spots, and melisma, which occurs when melanin is overproduced in certain areas of the skin. It also affects the areas where acne has healed, resulting in acne scars.

6. It lightens the appearance of under-eye circles

Vitamin C serums help smooth out fine lines by hydrating and plumping the under-eye area.

According to a study, vitamin C in the form of 10 percent sodium ascorbate showed great results in improving dark circles after continued use. It did so by thickening the eyelid dermis and concealing dark coloration due to congested blood.

7. It stimulates collagen production

Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that provides strength and firmness to the skin. As it depletes over time its low levels lead to the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin C is well known for helping in boosting collagen production through the process of collagen synthesis as vitamin C is the essential cofactor for the two enzymes required for collagen synthesis:

• Lysol hydroxylase, which provides structural strength
• Prolyl hydroxylase, which stabilizes the collagen molecule

Hence by promoting collagen production vitamin C imparts firmness and youth to the skin.

8. It may help prevent skin sagging

As we know collagen is tied to skin firmness and its low levels might result in sagging skin.

Applying a vitamin C serum boosts collagen production, which results in an overall skin firming effect. Hence vitamin C can help people experiencing sagging skin due to natural aging or oxidative stress damage.

9. It helps to protect against sun damage

Excessive exposure to UV irradiation is associated with depleted vitamin C levels in the skin. Vitamin C levels are also found to be low in photodamaged skin. Sun damage to the skin is the result of harm caused by free radicals.

Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants that protect healthy skin cells by curbing the effects of free radicals.

10. It helps to soothe sunburns

In addition to diminishing redness, vitamin C also accelerates cell turnover, hence, replacing the damaged cells with healthy new ones.

The topical application of vitamin C serum, in combination with vitamin E, has also been shown to reduce the effects of environmental aggressors. This combination also helps to decrease the inflammation induced by excessive UV exposure.

How to use a vitamin C serum

Although well-tolerated, topical vitamin C (note that there are many different types of Vitamin C serums) like any other skin product might have the potential to cause side effects. It is highly advised to do a patch test to make sure no allergic reaction occurs.

When safety is ensured and it’s time for a full application, follow the instructions on the product’s label.

The following vitamin C derivatives are designed to retain potency for longer and provide optimum results. The formulations are:

• Ascorbyl palmitate
• L-ascorbic acid
• Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate

When to apply vitamin C serum?

If you’re wondering when to apply a vitamin C serum, the answer is simple – you can apply vitamin C both in the morning and at night, after cleansing and toning. One study recommends applying a vitamin C serum every eight hours for optimum protection from environmental aggressors.

How often should you use vitamin C serum?

Consistency is the key to great results. Vitamin C serum should be ideally applied once or twice per day. A good skincare regimen indicates cleansing, tone, applying vitamin C serum, and then moisturizing.

How to use hyaluronic acid with vitamin C?

Both of these ingredients are a match made in heaven. While hyaluronic acid helps to moisturize the skin, vitamin C protects it from sun damage and helps to fade skin discoloration. Both ingredients together help in reducing the signs of aging — especially when they’re used together.

The question is how to use hyaluronic acid and vitamin C together. It is advised to incorporate both in your daily skincare regimen as moisturizers before you put on SPF and go out for maximum benefits. Here are our list of the best vitamin C serum with hyaluronic acid.

How to use Vitamin C serum on face at night

The serum should be poured on the palm of the hand and then start applying it gently on your face. Make sure to apply gently and keep it overnight. Wash your face in the morning gently with lukewarm water.

Bottomline

Now that you know the many benefits of vitamin C and how it can be used, try and incorporate it into your skincare regimen to enjoy all the benefits that it offers.

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